Adjustable centrifugal pump



Feb. 7, 1933-.

w. B'u'cKLE-Y ADJUSTABLE CENTRIFUGAL'PUMP` Filed NOVL 30,.1951

Indi 7 f 2 x0. Z

z/En DE @am Jac/(fle Patented Feb. 7,1933

UNITED STATES WILLIAM Bumm?, or cnrcAGo. ILIlmoIs ADJUSTABLE emmen rm Application. led November 80, 1931. Serial No. 577,889.

The present invention relates to an adJustable centrifugal pump and particularly to one which may be employed in a pipe line through which passes liquid and non-liquid matter, wherein the pump functions as a valve for controlling the amount of flow in the pipe line.

It has been found in sewage disposal plants, especially, that Where valves are inw terposed 1n pipe lines carrying sewage the valves become clogged by reason of the insoluble or semi-insoluble matter carried in the liquid stream thus impeding circulation of the fluid through the pipe line.

The present invention contemplates a centrifugal pump having a member within the impeller chamber for varying the si'z'e of the impeller chamber so that such pump may be interposed in a pi e line in place or instead 2 of a valve f or regul) sage through the pipe line without offering im edance to the passage of solid or semisohd matter in suspension.

An object of the present invention is to provide acentrifugal pump with means for varying the capacity of the impeller chamber.

Another object of the invention is to provide a centrifugal pump with a movable back wall whereby the efective pumping capacityv 3 of the impeller chamber maybe varled at y will to regulate passage through the ump.

. The above and further ob]ects o the invention will be apparent from the following description, accompanying drawing, and ap-` pended claims. i

The accompanying drawing illustrates an embodiment of the present invention and the views thereof are as follows:

y Figure. 1 is an elevational .-view,l partially 4 in section, of a centrifugal pump embodying principles of the present invention, the section bein taken substantially in the plane I-I of F1gure2. v

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially in the plane of line II--II of Figure L -Fiv re 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the illustrated form .of movable back wall showing its association with the impeller blades or vanes of the pump structure.

ating amount of Huid passhaft where it enters the vhousing 7.

The drawing will now be explained.

The apparatus chosen to exemplify the present invention illustrates a base 1 on which 1s supported a part 2 of a centrifugal pump casting.l The pump A, as illustrated, includes a casing 3 which, as shown, provides a part of the impeller casin the inlet` neck at the axis of the pump an the tan ential outlet Aportion 4. The axial inlet nec is indicated at 5. The casing 3 and that portion of the 60 casting 2 indicated at 6 are connected together -in any suitable manner such as by bolts or the `like to form the completed pump structure.

The part 2 is provided with an elongated 65 cylindrical housing 7 which receives the hub 8 of the impeller.

The base 1 supports'a pedestal 9 which at its upper end carries a bearing 10 for one end of the impeller-shaft 11. A collar 12 is ,"0 secured to the outer end of the shaft 11 beyond the bearing 10. A part of the casting 2 is a pedestal 13 which carries a bearing 14 for the shaft 10, while a drive connection, such as a pulley 15, is secured to the shaft 11 75 in any suitable manner. A collar 16 is secured to the shaft adjacent to bearing 14, the collars' 12 and 16 acting to maintainthehub 8 of the impeller ro erly positioned with the housing 7. T e 14 may be ball or roller bearings as desired.

The casting'2 adjacent the outer end of the housing 7 'is apertured to receive the shaft 11 and agland 17 is lptrovided surrounding the shaft to make lea A The 'shaft 11 is keyed by a key 18 to the hub 7 of the impeller lfor driving the im eller. The hub 7 is counterbored at 19 or a purpose to which extends radially with respect to the shaft 11 inwardly of the wall 21 ofthe housing 8.

The impeller blades or vanes 22 are cast inte rally with the member 20 and the balance 95 of t e impeller, and extend axially from the member 20. The blades or vanes 22 are preferably curvedin end elevation as illustrated in Figure 2.

The inner wall 21 of the pump casing A is 100 aringsl 10 and 80 l lght joint about the be later described. The impeller in- 90 Vcludes a part 20 fashioned to provide an annular recess 23 in the rear ortion of the casing which recess extends about the peripheral part of the impeller chamber.

The inlet neck is connected b an elbow 24 which, in the present instance, 1s shown as a 90 elbow for connection to the pipe line.

The elbow 24 and the neck 5 are connected by bolts or like means, not shown, for operating with the flanges of these parts as is common practice. A rod 25 is axially movable within the elbow 24 and at its inner end carries a hub 26 which enters a counterbore 19 in the impeller hub 8. Thel hub 26 is provided, in the present instance, with a plurality of radially extending webs 27 which conform to the faces of the impeller blades 22 and fill the s ace between the hub 26 and the peripheries o the vanes 22 so as to make a substantially unbroken surface a ainst the inlet 5. The webs 27 constitute in e ect a movable backwall for the effective part of the impeller chamber which is designated generally as B in Figure 1. The peripheries of the webs 27 are pro- .vided with rearwardly extending flanges 28 which enter the recess 23 in the back portion of the casing thus cutting oil' access to the rear side of the webs 27.

The rod 25 asses through a gland 29 formed in the el ow 24 which rod at its outer end is threaded as at 30 to engage threaded blocks 31 supported on a bracket 32 outwardly of the elbow. The rod 25 by being turned will therefore advance inwardly or outwardly depending on the direction of rotation of the rod so as to move the hub 26 and 4its carried webs 27 axially within the impeller chamber B thus moving these webs or movable backwall toward or away from the front wall 33 of the casing thus varying the effective capacity of the impeller chamber, that is, varying that portion of the impeller chamber which 1s subjected to impeller action as fluid passes into the pump through the neck 5 and 1s discharged outwardly through the outlet 4.

It will be observed that by movement of the rod 25 and its accompanying hub 26 and web s 27 passage of fluid through the pump is more or less restricted as determined by the osition of the webs 27 with respect to the ront wall 33 of the casing 3. Thus a centrifu al pump embodying pr1nciples of the present 1nvention may be interposed in a pipe line and by regulating the axial position of the webs 27 with respect to the front face 33 of the casing 3 control ofthe amount of fluid passing through the pump may be secured. It will be apparent that ne impedance is offered tothe passage of solid or semi-solid matter carried by the fluid stream through the pump.

The webs 27 rotate with the impeller and consequently the ro'd 25, which is secured to the hub 26 by a key 34, rotates. The position of the locking collars 31 on each side of the upstanding portion of the bracket 32 allows rotation of the rod 25 without axial movement of the rod with respect to the bracket, thus when the rod is once ad'usted the effecti-ve capacity of the impeller c amber is maintained until the rod is again adjusted.

Figure 3 illustrates the position of the webs 27 and flanges 28 thereof with respect to the bla des or vanes 22 ofthe impeller.

The centrifugal pump of the present invention may be utilized as a centrifugal pum by moving the hub 26 and rod 25 inwar ly so that the webs 27 lie against the member 20 of the impeller, thus increasing the capacity of the impeller chamber to maximum, or the pump may be utilized as a valve, as above described, by moving the webs 27 toward the front face 33 of the casing 3 thus restrictin passage through the ump but in nowise o ering im dance to so id or semisolid matter carrie by the fluid stream. The utilization of the impeller blades aids in keeping the solid or semi-solid matter moving thus serving the important function of preventing stoppagl or impedance in a pi line where sluggis matter such as sewage 1s continually passing as appears in 'a sewage disposal or like plant.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A centrifu al pump in combination, an impeller casing avmg an impeller chamber therein, an impeller rotatable within said chamber, said impeller having a hub and blades on the hub, said hub being provided with a counterbore opening into the chamber, a rod disposed coaxially with said hub and carrying a hub movable within said counterbore, said rod hub carryin radially extending webs disposed between t e impeller blades and serving as a movable back wall for the impeller chamber, said webs brid 'ng the spaces between the impeller blades, t e movement of said rod causing corres onding movement of said movable back wal and the space between the front wall of the impeller casing and the movable back wall constituting that portion of the impeller chamber subject to impeller action, the movement of said movable back wall within said impeller chamber serving to vary fluid pressure through the ump. 2. A centrifugal pump in combination, an impeller casing havlng an im ller chamber therein, an impeller rotatab e within said chamber, said'v impeller having a hub and blades on the hub, said hub being provided with a counterhore o ening into the chamber, a rod disposed coaxially with said hub and carrying a hub movable -within said counterbore, said rod hub carryin radially extending webs disposed between t e impeller blades and serving as a movable back wall for the impeller chamber, said webs bridging the spaces between the impeller blades, the movement of said rod causing corresponding movement of said movable back wall, and the space between the front wall of the impeller casing and the movable back wall constituting that portion of the impeller-chamber subject to impeller action, the movement of said movable back wall within said impeller chamber serving to varyAuid passa e through the ump, a bracket outwardl)1 o said pum sai rod extending thru said bracket, a justing nuts at the end of said rod dis side of the bracket fora justing the axial Eosition of the rod, said nuts and said rod eing rotatable with the impeller without affecting the axial adjustment of the rod and its supported hub. v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto submy name at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois.

d one at cach` 

